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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23944732">Page 558</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writings_of_a_Hufflepuff/pseuds/Writings_of_a_Hufflepuff'>Writings_of_a_Hufflepuff</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, a lot of teenage emotional confusion, page 558 of the order of the phoenix getting a rework, whta are feelings?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:42:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23944732</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writings_of_a_Hufflepuff/pseuds/Writings_of_a_Hufflepuff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione admires the twin’s fireworks and has an odd sort of conversation with Fred that makes her think.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fred/Hermione, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Page 558</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“They were wonderful fireworks”, Hermione said admiringly. Truthfully as much as she opposed the twins on their First Year Testing Regime, she had no doubt that they were brilliant. It helped all the more that those fireworks caused Umbridge such trouble that she didn’t stop all day. The woman was a vile, evil toad and quite frankly any prank or mischief that caused her hassle was good in Hermione’s books...though she couldn’t help but feel a sense of worry that the twins might get themselves into some terrible trouble...especially Fred. </p>
<p>George thanked her, both surprised and pleased and the twins went on a short sales pitch about their Wildfire Whiz-Bangs. It was only George that wandered off, however, to go talk to a group of Second Years, presumably to get them to sign on to the waiting list. Fred lingered fixing her with a peculiar look that she couldn’t quite wrap her head around.</p>
<p>“It...it really was some wonderful magic, Fred...but you do know if she finds out…” She bites into her lip at the thought of the twins getting expelled before they can even complete their N.E.W.T.S, of them being so close to graduating and not quite making it. They might finish, she thinks, if Umbridge wasn’t here, but part of her knows they don’t intend to stay long. It fills her with an unexpected sadness. </p>
<p>“Hermione Granger approving of our mischief? Condoning our actions? Praising our work? I might faint, high praise from the Brightest Witch of our Age.” Fred’s smile is teasing and bright and despite herself Hermione can’t help but feel warmth rise up to her round cheeks. She also can’t help the brief smile, even if it drops knowing what might happen.</p>
<p>“Fred…”</p>
<p>“Hermione, we don’t care. If Umbitch expels us, so what? We’ll just open the shop, make our fortune, do what we love and what we’re good at. Sure, mum’ll have a right fit, but she’ll cool off once she realises we know what we’re doing.” It’s the surety in his voice that calms her anxious heart, as much as she will miss them and miss telling them off, she also knows they’ll be okay. They have such brilliant aptitude for making things to smile about and they were incredibly smart. If Hermione was the Brightest Witch of her Age, she wondered if the twins weren’t the Brightest Wizards...after all they designed, created, and sold their own inventions, things which required a deep understanding of wandwork and potions...even she doubted she could do what they did. </p>
<p>“I...we’ll miss you, it’ll be awfully quiet without you both.” Hermione looks at her fingers as she twists them together, she can’t quite bring herself to look him in the eyes. It feels too much, too...like she’s opening herself up to him without even knowing what he’d find. She doesn’t quite understand the buzzing in her stomach that happens around Fred or how she knows Fred is Fred and not George...all she knows is that George isn’t George, George is not Fred which is bizarre and confusing and makes her brain hurt.</p>
<p>It’s quick, she almost thinks she imagines it. Fred’s hand reaches forward brushing lightly against her own before withdrawing, the only thing that tells her it’s real is the soft smile that appears across his freckled face. </p>
<p>“We’ll miss you too, Granger.” There’s something unspoken about it all, something that feels almost suffocating but not entirely in a bad way. She always said Ron had the emotional range of a teaspoon, but right now Hermione thought she might not have the best grasp of feelings herself. </p>
<p>“Right, well...have a good night?” It’s a sort of squeak that she’s never heard from herself before, and her cheeks warm even more to the point she wonders if someone hasn’t hit her with a warming charm. She’s not sure if she dislikes the cheeky smile on Fred’s face at her squeak or if she’s enjoying it.</p>
<p>“Night, love,” and she’s absolutely sure, without a doubt, that he tags the endearment onto the end just to see how nervous he can make her as she scurries away to Harry and Ron in the corner.  </p>
<p>She decides that she’ll miss the twins, but she’ll miss Fred the most. She’ll miss the possibility of what she’s not sure, just the possibility of something. That’s what Fred really is to her, possibility. She feels like she can break through her rigid rules and plans when around him...like she can simply be a teenage girl and not Hermione Granger. It’s with a little bit of longing, a little bit of sadness, but a great deal of amusement at the days events that she tells Harry and Ron that they deserve a night off from homework. Something which she never does.</p>
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